A picturesque section of Bright Angel Trail winds its way north at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ. The trail is the most popular at the world-famous park. Click the icon in the lower righthand corner of the player to expand the video.
There’s no better way to experience the wonders of Arizona’s Grand Canyon than by walking across it. This is how I trekked from the North Rim to the South Rim.
Considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park is a desert spectacle like no other. The red rock rift was carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, which left behind a yawning tract of towering buttes and mesas that extends for over 250 miles.
The many vistas at the top are mesmerizing, particularly in the soft light of sunrise and sunset. However, the Grand Canyon’s breadth and beauty can’t be fully appreciated until you walk across it. Including photos, a video, and my custom map, this is how I trekked rim-to-rim in a single day.
1. Take the shuttle to the North Rim
Due to the North Rim’s higher elevation and the shade and infrastructure of the South Rim’s Bright Angel Trail, I chose to start my hike across the Grand Canyon at the North Kaibab Trailhead. The North Rim is accessible from the South Rim via a five-hour ride on the Trans-Canyon Shuttle; I booked my reservation ($120 USD) with the company three weeks before my trip.
The morning of my departure, I parked my rental vehicle at Parking Lot D next to the South Rim Backcountry Information Center. The parking area is for both day visits and overnight hikers; you don’t need a permit to leave your vehicle. Slinging on my pack, I walked 0.5 mile (0.8 km) to Bright Angel Lodge, the shuttle’s pickup point.
The Trans-Canyon Shuttle has two daily departure times for the North Rim: 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Since I was getting up well before sunrise the following morning, I took the early shuttle. It stopped twice, once at a gas station in Navajo Nation and again at Jacob Lake Inn near the North Rim. I got out and stretched my legs at both places; the cookies at the inn were remarkable.
After arriving at the North Rim in the early afternoon, a local shuttle in the form of a extended cab pickup truck dropped me off at the campground. I walked over to the North Rim Backcountry Information Center, a small building next to the campground’s parking lot, to grab a map for the rim-to-rim trail system.
Strolling to my campsite, I placed my pack on the provided picnic table and unfolded the map. I looked over the key checkpoints and services along my route, which was from the North Kaibab Trailhead to the Bright Angel Trailhead.
There are restrooms and water stations at Supai Tunnel, Roaring Springs Day Use Area, Manzanita Rest Area, and Cottonwood on the North Kaibab; the same services are available at Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel’s 1 1/2-Mile Resthouse, 3-Mile Resthouse, and Havasupai Gardens. River Resthouse on the Bright Angel Trail has restrooms only.
Ranger stations are at Manzanita Rest Area (seasonally staffed), Phantom Ranch and Havasupai Gardens. Emergency phones are installed at Manzanita Rest Area, Cottonwood, River Resthouse, and Havasupai Gardens, the latter of which also has first aid.
2. Depart early from the North Kaibab Trailhead
Compared to the bustling tourist scene of the South Rim, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim is far quieter. I leisurely set up my tent, pausing to eat a late lunch at my picnic table. I reserved the campsite over a month prior to arriving at the Grand Canyon; due to the limited number of sites and the fact that the campground is only open May 15-October 15, I strongly recommend you do the same.
The campground’s general store has a selection of food, drinks, and supplies. Grabbing a snack, I decided to make the walk over to the North Kaibab Trailhead (8,241 ft, 2,510 m) to preview my morning’s starting point. It took me around 20 minutes, following Campground Rd. to Bridle Path, a foot trail that crosses AZ Highway 67.
I read over the signage at the trailhead: The park service provides an updated status of water sources at and below the rims. Most were working at the time of my visit. I also noticed that I had no cell signal; you shouldn’t count on receiving any messages or phone calls at the North Rim Campground, North Kaibab Trailhead, or anywhere in the canyon.
Returning to my campsite, I whiled away the rest of the afternoon lounging in my tent and checking over my gear. It was mid-October, so it began to get dark around 5:30 p.m. Turning in for the night, I set my alarm for 1:45 a.m.
The brisk, high-altitude air of the North Rim shook me fully awake as I emerged from my tent the following morning. After dressing, eating, and situating my pack, I retraced my steps from the previous day to Bridal Path and North Kaibab’s starting line.
Standing alone in the silence of the trailhead, I stowed my flashlight before illuminating my watch. It was 3 a.m.; a blanket of stars filled the sky. Taking a slow breath, I switched on my headlamp and deployed my trekking poles, stepping forth into one of Mother Earth’s greatest arenas.
3. Descend to Phantom Ranch
The opening section of the North Kaibab Trail is fast and incredibly steep. Quickly passing minor checkpoints like the Supai Tunnel and Roaring Springs Day Use Area, I reached Manzanita Rest Area (4,400 ft, 1,231 m) by 5:20 a.m. That means I totaled a distance of over five miles (8 kms) and a descent of just under 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in around two hours.
The trail began to level out, and I made it to Cottonwood (4,040 ft, 1,231 m) by sunrise. The site is 1.4 miles (2.3 kms) past Manzanita Rest Area, and it has a campground. If you want to break your hike up into multiple days, you must have a permit from the National Park Service (NPS) to camp below the rim.
Aware that I was at the approximate halfway mark to Phantom Ranch and the Colorado River, I took a 10-15 minute break to have a quick snack. Most of the North Kaibab Trail’s decline was behind me, so I focused on maintaining a consistent pace the remainder of the way: I wanted to make it to Phantom Ranch (2,460 ft, 750 m) well before noon.
Around 30 minutes after leaving Cottonwood (my watch read close to 7 a.m.), I made it to the turn for Ribbon Falls. Hiking to the waterfall adds an extra kilometer (and valuable time) to the trek; I decided to press on. An hour later, I stepped around a rattlesnake as I became enveloped by The Box.
Marked on my map above, The Box is a narrow, lush gorge that’s traced by Bright Angel Creek. A series of footbridges weave you along the east and west sides of its floor, and high walls keep you in the shade during the morning hours. I wouldn’t want to be in The Box at midday, though: Its topography likely makes it feel like an oven.
At around 9:30 a.m., I walked out of The Box and strode into Phantom Ranch. The lodge, which has a campground and ranger station within its vicinity, is the main hub at the bottom of the Grand Canyon; the Bright Angel, North Kaibab, and South Kaibab Trails converge there. I filled up my water bladder and went to the restroom, but I didn’t stay long. The morning shade of the North Kaibab was behind me, and the heat of the day was beginning to bear down on the canyon.
With over 13 miles of trail behind me, I retightened the straps on my pack and continued south toward the river.
4. Ascend to the South Rim
A few minutes after leaving Phantom Ranch, I reached the fork for Bright Angel Trail and South Kaibab Trail. The South Rim is a shorter distance away via the latter, but the South Kaibab doesn’t have water fill stations and offers almost no shade. Once you reach the South Kaibab Trailhead, you also have to navigate the South Rim’s shuttle service to make it back to the South Rim Backcountry Information Center.*
Knowing this, I veered right at the fork and crossed the Colorado River at Silver Bridge. The trail followed the iconic waterway west for 1.5 miles (2.4 kms) until again turning south at River Resthouse (2,500 ft, 762 m). My watch showed 10:30 a.m. as I prepared myself for what proved to be the most difficult section of my ascent.
There’s very little shade in the over three-mile expanse between River Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens (3,800 ft, 1,158 m). And while the climb isn’t as extreme as the final portion of Bright Angel Trail, the sun and the weight of my pack really began to wear on me. I throttled down my pace and paused halfway through the grueling stretch to drink one of my sports drinks. Drenched in sweat, I walked into Havasupai Gardens at 12:30 p.m.
Tired but pleased with my progress, I knew I was only 4.5 miles (7.2 kms) from summiting the South Rim. It was still over five hours until sunset, so I took time to top off my water bladder and dry out my shirt. I was back on the trail by 1 p.m.
Only a few minutes out of Havasupai Gardens, the South Rim loomed above me, and I could make out the general location of Bright Angel Trailhead (6,840 ft, 2,085 m). With the clock on my side, I slowly began zigzagging my way to 3-Mile Resthouse (4,748 ft, 1,449 m). An hour later, I took another break at its shelter.
I departed 3-Mile Resthouse just before 2:30 p.m. Since leaving the North Kaibab Trailhead, I had trekked around 20 miles, so I made sure to drink half of my remaining sports drink and eat a snack before climbing to 1 1/2-Mile Resthouse (5,730 ft, 1,747 m), the final significant checkpoint before Bright Angel Trailhead. Sitting in the afternoon shade of the Grand Canyon’s southern walls, I finished my sports drink before making my final push to the summit.
A little before 4 p.m., I walked through the Lower Tunnel, which is a mile (1.6 km) from the top. Around 30 minutes later, as the late afternoon shadows began to stretch across the canyon, I stood at Bright Angel Trailhead.
* At the time of writing, Bright Angel Trail was closed for construction between the Silver Bridge and Havasupai Gardens until May 14, 2025. The South Kaibab Trail is the only way to and from Phantom Ranch until Bright Angel Trail reopens.
5. Return to Parking Lot D
After collecting myself for a few minutes at the trailhead, I opened the map app on my phone. Unlike the North Rim, the Grand Canyon’s South Rim has cell service in most places. I punched in the South Rim Backcountry Information Center, which is where I had left my rental vehicle the previous morning.
The meandering walk south to the backcountry office and its Parking Lot D took me around 20 minutes to complete. Throwing my gear in the bed of the truck, I fired up the engine and drove to the general store near Mather Campground, where I wolfed down a whole pizza and drained another sports drink. I pulled into my reserved campsite a little after sundown.
Related Content
– Click to read “How to Hike Grand Canyon’s Grandview Trail” for information on trekking one of the lesser-known trails at Grand Canyon National Park.
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection from Grand Canyon National Park.
– Click to watch my high-definition video from inside “The Box” on the North Kaibab Trail.